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Reds sign two righties and outfielder to Minors deals

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By Mark Sheldon
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MLB.com |

CINCINNATI -- The Reds have signed right-handed pitchers Jeff Marquez and Kevin Whelan and outfielder Derrick Robinson to Minor League contracts.

It was not yet known on Thursday if the trio received invitations to Spring Training as non-roster players in big league camp. The signings were first reported by Baseball America on Wednesday night, but they were confirmed by MLB.com.

Marquez, 28, has four games of Major League experience with the White Sox and Yankees and has a 5.40 ERA in five innings. He spent 2012 in Triple-A split between the Mariners' and Rockies' affiliates, going 5-8 with a 6.69 ERA in 19 games, including 14 starts.

In 2004, Marquez was drafted 41st overall by the Yankees.

Whelan, also 28, played two games with the Yankees in 2011, with a 5.40 ERA and five walks in 1 2/3 innings. A reliever with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this past season, he was 3-0 with a 3.55 ERA and 12 saves in 24 appearances. Whelan has 90 career saves in the Minor Leagues.

Robinson, a member of the Royals his entire pro career, has yet to reach the Majors. This past season, in 116 games with Triple-A Omaha, the 25-year-old batted .268 with two home runs, 28 RBIs and 23 stolen bases.

Mark Sheldon is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Mark My Word, and follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.